Improvement in puddling and reverberatory furnaces for the manufacture of iron



IRA HERSEY.

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IRA HERSEY, OF FORT EDWARD, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT' IN PUDDLING AND REVERBERATORY FURNACES FOR THE MANUFACTURE0F IRON AND STEEL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 126,546, dated May 7,1872.

To whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA HERSEY, of the town of Fort Edward, county ofWashington, State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Heating, Puddling, and Reverberatory Furnaces orHeating-Chambers by the use of steam, of which the following is aspecification:

Object and Advantages.

My invention relates to thepeculiar use of steam and its application toall classes of furnaces and heatingchambers, where the heat is carriedto the same over a bridge-wall, at which point steam is introduced insuch manner as to come in immediate contact with the iiame or carbon omthe grate-fire, thus greatly facilitating more perfect combustion andeconomy of the fuel used.,

The drawing shows the form of application.

Figure 1 representsthe front of the furnace where the fuel is placedupon the grate, also longitudinal view of steam-pipe on top of thefurnace. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section of the same, also ofthe puddling or heating chamber.

A represents the grate, where the fuel is placed, and F the bridge-wall.C represents a steam-pipe with one or more jets, D, attached, andthrough which steam is conducted directly over the bridge-wall F,through openings on the top of therfurnace, as shown.

E represents a steam-valve, to regulate the quantity of steam that maybe required, ac-

cording to the desire of the operator.

Remarks.

It has been found from practical experience that a wrought-iron pipe ofone inch diameter is of suficient capacity to carry steam (underpressure of about sixty pounds) to the furnace from the boiler. Thepipes or jets attached to the same need not exceed one-half of an inchin diameter, with openings in form of a gas-burner of about one-quarterof an inch in diameter. These jets should be projected from the iiame bysmall crucibles, with perforated openings to allow the free passage ofsteam. The heat of steam may be largely increased by placing the mainpipe between the inside and outside wall of the furnace.

It is well known that steam properly decomposed into oxygen and hydrogengases is of great value when intense heat is required; but the properplace and mode of application of the same has not heretofore beendiscovered.

Steam will decompose into gases when brought in contact with a carbonflame at a heat of about 8000 Fahrenheit, and at no point or place inthe furnace can it be introduced except over the bridge-wall', asexplained, where it can be fully utilized and a successful resultobtained.

Avapor of oil or gas introduced with steam will be found of advantagewhen anthracite coal isused as a fuel, but with bituminous orsemi-bituminous fuel it is not necessary.

Claim.

I claim, therefore- The introduction of steam into puddling, heating,and reverberatory furnaces directly over the bridge-wall, or near thesame, in the manner described, or in any equivalent manner.

IRA HERSEY.

Witnesses:

F. W. ALLEN, E. PEIRSON.

